Prevention and removal of incrustation in steam-boilers.



U ITED STATES Patented truly 21, 1903,

ROBERT LORAINE GAMLEN, OF BROMLEY, ENGLAND.

PREVENTION AND REMOVAL OF iNCRUSTATlON IN STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,168, dated July 21, 1903.

Application filed April 10, 1901. Serial No. 55,183." (Specimena) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT LORAINE GAM- LEN, electrical engineer, of 26 College road, Bromley, in the county of Kent, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Prevention and Removal of Incrustation in Steam and other Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object both the prevention and removal of incrustation in boilers, particularly steam boilers. Many difierent means have already been proposed for this purposesuch, for example, as various chemical compositions or solutionsintroduced into the water to be evaporated or heated, or mechanically-operated brushes, scrapers, or the like, caused to travel over the heating-surfaces; but these means are all more or less open to objection on account of their expense or inefliciency.

Now according to my invention the incrustation is prevented and removed by very simple, cheap, and effective means.

I have discovered that if vegetable fiber, particularly bast fiber, in a state of division be introduced into the boiler, so as to become eventually distributed or dispersed throughout the water in the boiler it will very effi ciently prevent incrustation, or if the boiler be already incrusted the incrustation will be removed, the fiber in the latter case working underneath the incrustation and scaling it off.

According to my invention I introduce into the boiler a suitable quantity of fibrous material in a state of division, such as that of fine threads. I have found jute fiber particularly suitable for the purpose. It should be first threaded or teased to reduce it to the state of fine threads. It is only necessary to employ a small quantity of the jute or other fiber. 1 do not confine myself to any exact proportion; but I have found that one sixty-fourth ounce of jute fiber in the form of fine threads for each ounce of total hardness in the water is a suitable quantity. I prefer to introduce this quantity into the boiler every day by the boiler-feed or in any other way and at the beginning of each day to blow down the boiler to the extent of about one inch on the watergage, so as to remove the scale and sediment at the bottom.

I may mix with or use in conjunction with the fiber some other material. ample the fibrous material may be mixed in any desired proportion with any suitable binding material to facilitate its introduction into the boiler or for other purpose and may, if desired, be mixed or used in conjunction with any anti-incrustation fluid.

As it is necessary that'the fiber should be freely distributed and dispersed throughout the boiler, the said binding material should be soluble in hot water if the mixture is intended to be introduced direct into the boiler, and it should be soluble in cold water if the mixture is to be introduced through the medium of cold feed-water.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method hereinbefore described for the prevention or removal of boiler incrusta- By way of extion, which consists in introducing into the boiler and dispersing throughout the water therein bast fiber which has been shredded and teased to a fine state of division, substantially as set forth.

2. The method hereinbefore described for the prevention or removal of boiler incrustation, which consists in introducing into the boiler and dispersing throughout the water therein jute which has been shredded and teased to a fine state of division, substantially as set forth.

.3. The method hereinbefore described for the prevention or removal of boiler incrustation, which consists in introducing into the boiler and dispersing throughout the water therein jute which has been reduced to the state of fine threads,substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT LORAINE GAMLEN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT N. SPEAK-POINT, CHARLES J. JONES. 

